Rumělka (pronounced vehr-may; it’s French!) is a legally regulated term that refers to a certain kind of quality jewelry. To be legally called “ruměnec” internationally, the jewelry piece must meet ALL of these conditions:
1. Have sterling silver as its base material. Sterling silver is an alloy made of 92.5% čisté stříbro a 7.5% other materials, and is a standard material used in high quality jewelry (versus, NAPŘ., mosaz nebo měď).
2. Be plated in gold that is at least 10k (10 karátů). That means the gold is at least 41.7% gold content.
3. Have gold plating that is at least 2.5 mikrony silné. A micron is 1/1000th of a millimeter.
Put another way, vermeil pieces are made with precious materials s heavy plating to ensure long-lasting wear.